Santa Cruz 88-74 (#27 Draft Pick) This squad is currently on an 11 season playoff run and has power hitter Ryan Goodwin waiting in the wings. Grab this team and win now!

Austin 82-80 (#19 Draft Pick) Austin has never won a division title in BR, but is making strides in that direction finishing 2nd last season. The team features Karim Ramirez, Jamie Jacobs, and Dallas Stevens. A team ready to build on a win now!Taken by dafood

Hartford 67-95 (#2 Draft Pick) Hartford is as close to a clean slate as you can get. About $15M committed to the coming season with Happy Campbell, Rudy Crummack, and James Allen coming up through the system. The #2 pick in the amateur draft seals this team as one that allows you to start from scratch and create a team in your own image.Taken by jtedfordCharlotte 67-95 (#4 Draft Pick) This franchise had won 11 division titles in a row until it hit a bump in the road last season under a new owner. He's gone and that gives you the chance to return Charlotte to its former glory. It will take some work, but the #4 pick will be a great foundation to build upon. Taken by bbwinksdaddy

Trenton 69-93 (#5 Draft Pick) Trenton is another team that fell off the cliff last season after a good, long run of success. With only about $46M committed to salary this season there is a lot of room for growth and adding to top players Paul Maeda, Kevin Johnstone, and James Benson.Taken by camden68

New York 77-85 (#12 Draft Pick) New York seems to be turning itself around after finishing near .500 for the first time in many seasons. There's not a lot of star power here, but there's no a lot of committed salary either at close to $35M for the coming season. Low amateur picks Javier Osuna, Skeeter DePaula, and Walter McDonald shine the spotlight of promise on the future of this team. Taken by ris1

Let's lay our cards on the table. We like playing HBD. We hate waiting. We hate waiting so much that we decided to do something other than sit around and whine about it. We took a collection from our very committed owners and we came up with $75 worth of HBD Gift Cards.

Here's the deal. Come join us. Each new owner not with us last season (Season 18) is then eligible to win one of three $25 WIS Gift Cards. That's right--a free season on us. The contest is simple but eminently fair. The three most improved teams based on last season's record will win a $25 WIS Gift Card. Even a rebuilding team can win this contest. Only tankers have no chance.

We won't ask you to stay for five seasons--though we hope you'll want to. Just give us a try for Season 19. If you like us, stay a while. If you don't, we can part friends.

Last season was my first in Branch Rickey. I am now taking over as the new commissioner for the world.

I believe the rules we have in place led to a very competitive league.

There was only one team that won 100 games last season. OK it was me!!

No team lost 100 games. The worst record was 67-95.

The 20 million dollar prospect budget cap has its pros and cons, but then every system does. If you have never played in a world with a cap you should give it a try. What the rule does is force people to use different strategy. Spend your money on Free Agents and allocate your budget differently.

The world has a very good blog, but since the old commissioner has left we will have to work on keeping it up and improving what we have. I would love to see people join that love stats, love talking stats, and might want to help out with the blog. Getting people involved is the best way to have an great world.

Mr. Wonderful and I stepped up to save the world from going public. We're working together as a team. We're open to ideas and suggestions.

We have Arfy in our World and everyone loves beating Arfy. Come one and all and beat Arfy!! Arfy also in known for running the survivor game in the forums. He is definitely a plus in the world.

I will say that I am not looking to have just anyone join. We don't want drama and we want owners that are competitive and know how to build a team.

"Fill in any figure you want for that boy (Mickey Mantle). Whatever the figure, it's a deal." I take it Branch loved the Mick

"He (Leo Durocher) had the ability of taking a bad situation and making it immediately worse."

"Our pitching staff is a conspiracy of ifs." I have had a few HBD pitching staffs that fit this quote

"The man with the ball is responsible for what happens to the ball.""Thou shalt not steal. I mean defensively. On offense, indeed thou shall steal and thou must.""Trade a player a year too early rather than a year too late." This is great advice even in HBD

"(Ty) Cobb lived off the field as though he wished to live forever. He lived on the field as though it was his last day."

"I don't like the subtle infiltration of 'something for nothing' philosophies into the very hearthstone of the American family. I believe that 'Thou shalt earn the bread by the sweat of thy face' was a benediction and not a penalty. Work is the zest of life; there is joy in its pursuit." - Branch Rickey

Branch Rickey was featured in the recent movie 42. In his career as GM Rickey signed over 42 minority players to Big League contracts. Add those numbers together. Branch Rickey died when he was 84. Coincidence? We think not . . . .

At the great man's funeral in 1965 Jackie Robinson spoke and equated Branch Rickey with Abraham Lincoln in being the two people who had done the most for African Americans. But the term, "African American" was not commonly used until the 1980s. Political correctness run amok? Was Robinson clairvoyant? No one knows to this very day!

Branch Rickey signed Roberto Clemente to a Major League contract. Clemente wore uniform #21. Double that number. Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to a Major League contract. Jackie Robinson wore uniform #42. Double that number. Branch Rickey died when he was 84. Coincidence? We think not!

Branch Rickey, who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967, is the only member of the Hall whose name is also part of a tree. And please don't give us that Babe Root nonsense. We didn't just fall off a turnip truck yesterday. Or last week even.